Notice2025-21744
Notice of Availability of Proposed Voluntary Agreement for Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Point Reyes National Seashore, and Muir Woods National Monument
Primary source
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Published
December 2, 2025
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA, in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS), has initiated the development of a voluntary agreement pursuant to the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (the Act) and its implementing regulations. The Act allows the FAA and NPS to enter into voluntary agreements with commercial air tour operators. A voluntary agreement manages commercial air tour operations over a national park by establishing conditions for the conduct of the commercial air tour operations. Implementation of a voluntary agreement helps protect park resources and the visitor experience without compromising aviation safety or the air traffic control system. This notice announces the public availability of the proposed voluntary agreement for Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Point Reyes National Seashore, and Muir Woods National Monument.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 229 (Tuesday, December 2, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 229 (Tuesday, December 2, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55328-55329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-21744]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Notice of Availability of Proposed Voluntary Agreement for Golden
Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco Maritime National
Historical Park, Point Reyes National Seashore, and Muir Woods National
Monument
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The FAA, in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS),
has initiated the development of a voluntary agreement pursuant to the
National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (the Act) and its
implementing regulations. The Act allows the FAA and NPS to enter into
voluntary agreements with commercial air tour operators. A voluntary
agreement manages commercial air tour operations over a national park
by establishing conditions for the conduct of the commercial air tour
operations. Implementation of a voluntary agreement helps protect park
resources and the visitor experience without compromising aviation
safety or the air traffic control system. This notice announces the
public availability of the proposed voluntary agreement for Golden Gate
National Recreation Area, San Francisco Maritime National Historical
Park, Point Reyes National Seashore, and Muir Woods National Monument.
DATES: Comments are due by 10:59 p.m. PDT January 2, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Comments will be received on the NPS Planning, Environment
and Public Comment System (PEPC) website. The PEPC website address is:
<a href="https://parkplanning.nps.gov/bayareaairtours25">https://parkplanning.nps.gov/bayareaairtours25</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandi Fox, telephone: (202) 267-0928,
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b9cad8d7ddcbd897c097dfd6c1f9dfd8d897ded6cf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1c6f7d72786e7d3265327a73645c7a7d7d327b736a">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA is issuing this notice pursuant to
the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-181
(https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/106/public/
[[Page 55329]]
181?link-type=html)) and its implementing regulations contained in
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, part 136, subpart B, National
Parks Air Tour Management. The Act requires that commercial air tour
operators conducting or intending to conduct commercial air tours over
a unit of the National Park system to apply to the FAA for operating
authority before engaging in that activity. The Act further requires
the FAA and the NPS to establish an air tour management plan (ATMP) for
each National Park System unit for which one or more commercial air
tour applications have been submitted unless that unit is exempt from
this requirement.
As an alternative to an ATMP, the FAA and the NPS may enter into a
voluntary agreement with a commercial air tour operator who has applied
to conduct commercial air tour operations over a national park
including an operator that has interim operating authority for the park
or a new entrant commercial air tour operator. Voluntary agreements
must address the management issues necessary to protect the resources
and visitor use of the park without compromising aviation safety or the
air traffic control system. A voluntary agreement may also include
conditions for the conduct of air tour operations and provisions to
ensure stability of and compliance with the voluntary agreement. Each
voluntary agreement reflects the provisions and conditions appropriate
for the national park to which the agreement applies.
The San Francisco Bay Area Parks ATMP was finalized on January 11,
2023. A subsequent lawsuit led to a court order that the ATMP be
vacated (Marin Audubon Society v. Federal Aviation Administration, 121
F.4th 902 (D.C. Cir. 2024)), though the ATMP temporarily remains in
place due to a stay of that order. Consequently, the agencies
determined that development of a voluntary agreement is appropriate to
comply with NPATMA before the end of the court's stay on February 28,
2026. Operators have agreed to engage in the voluntary agreement
process.
Individual voluntary agreements will be established with each
operator for the Park. Part 135 operators who have been granted interim
operating authority for the Parks are included in this voluntary
agreement and operators who have applied for authority to conduct tours
of the Park are also included.
Written comments on the proposed voluntary agreement can be
submitted via PEPC. Comments will not be accepted by fax, email, or any
other way than as specified above. All written comments become part of
the official record. Before including your address, phone number, email
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you
should be aware that your entire comment, including your personal
identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we
will be able to do so.
Dated: November 28, 2025.
Sandra Fox,
Environmental Protection Specialist.
[FR Doc. 2025-21744 Filed 12-1-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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